Hey Neal,
Whats the stock rev limiter set at? I still think that he is probably hitting it.

xbwfo,
Is there any other symptoms? Like, when it starts to ping, is there any jerking or what would feel like a missfire going on?

 

What was the shift point set to? If it is too close to the rev limiter it will hit it before it shifts and hold it there for a short time. Next time out press and hold the trip odometer button then insert the ignition key and turn to key to run. Wait till you see test in the odometer window and release the button then start the truck. It will cycle through a guage test and all segments screen test. Press the reset button till you see the word tac in the window. Should be about 7 or 8 pushes. Don't worry if you go past it keep pressing it will go in a circle till it comes back to tac. This is the instantanious electronic read out of your tach. Run through the gears and note at what rpm it pings in each gear. Let us know the results.

JMC

 

offroadmaniac,
No other symptoms, no jerking no misfiring. In fact it pulls clean and strong right up to the point of "pinging". I'm still not sure pinging is the right term to use here. It sounds like the sound of a plate of glass shattering.
I have hit the speed limiter before and it did misfire, a very ugly feature I might add. But this is entirely different.

JMC,
Good idea with the digital readout, the stock tach is not really accurate.
I'll do that.

What really bums me out is the fact that it's pulling so hard then just falls on its face. Time to check the real shift point.

Thanks guys

 

There is no reason to rev that motor past 5000, or even 4500. These motors make all their power from 1600 or so to about 4300. Revving it past that without head work or cam change is wasting your time and killing your motor. You are probably running into you rev limiter.

 

I have another diagnostic technique. I use this to help isolate fuel supply problems from engine mechanical ane resonance noises. If the engine quits pulling and "rattles" at WOT @ 5000 RPM try operating the engine there under a light load. Use the shifter and take it up to 5000 RPM easy in first or second. Once you've been there for a few seconds you'll know if the noise is there under load, or all the time. Then you can back out, consider the results and regroup.

 

HI!... The 4.6/5.4 engines make power from IDLE to 4800RPM not 1600RPM to 4300RPM. My stock 5.4 used to pull really hard right to 5000RPM. Now with all it's mods it pulls up to 5800RPM. Stock heads and cams.

 

What did you do to make it turn that many R's ? I have a 5.4 in my X and I cant get it to pull any more than 4800, I have left it in second and it usually cuts out around 5200. I don't race my car, so I don't really care, I'm just curious.

 

HI!... I have done to many things to mention here, but check out my gallery and you can see what has been done.The best thing was I have a custo programmed SUPERCHIP via MIKE TROYER that raised my rev limiter to 5900RPM. I also have 4.10 gears and about 80H.P (flywheel) over stock so this helps. Also my mods have totally changed the powerband of my 5.4.

 

Neal,

Do you still have down low torque?

 

HI!... TOO MUCH! However I can still break both back tires loose at 65KPH.

 

that goes against everything i now of hot rodding. the cam, intake, heads and valvetrain are what dictates rpm and power. 700 more rpm with a stock cam, long runner intake and stock heads dosent make sense. I put on a vortech 2 weeks ago and it makes great power shifting at around 5100, nothing in it after that and i know the s/c is still making boost. a good exhaust and headers will not extend rpm and power by 700 rpm. I know you have other things but none of what you are telling should take rpms that much, only heads cam and intake could do that. Are you sure you didnt work the heads a little when you were replacing a head gasket?

btw, the pictures of your exhaust look sweet, dont even want to know $$$ what that ran you.

 

 

I been working quite a bit lately, so I haven't checked the EGR yet. Maybe next weekend.
What I did is set my 1st to 2nd shift point 1 step back from stock on the microtuner. Now it shifts at 4600-4650 under load (up a steep hill). I also got 1 gallon of toluene and mixed it with a half tank of gas. I does not ping. Love the octane boost, it runs pretty good .
"Toluene": http://www.elektro.com/~audi/audi/toluene.html
Now I'm pretty sure the fuel is at about 94-95 octane so pinging should not be a problem because of gas quality.
Today I'll again raise the shift point by 400 RPM (1 step higher) and check for ping.

Neal is right about making power at a higher rpm, the reason I want a higher shift point is so it will be more in the meat of the power when it gets into second.

adaycj,
Why didn't I think of that?
I'll hold it in first and check what rpm it pulls to/pings at/rev limits at. That should answer some questions.

 

If Neal had the heads and mainfold off his truck, do you really think he would NOT polish the ports and runners.
It's all about air flow.

 

OK we need more info on this TOLUENE stuff it sounds way to good to be true and does anyone have any long time usage with it and what kind of harm can it have. I went to the page you listed and it does have some good info but what about long term usage of this product? Also how come we havent heard about this stuff before on this site with the way everyone is always trying to improve performance or have we and it is a secret?

Richard D.

WHILE YOUR HERE CHECK OUT MY GALLERY:
https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=2479